Dhagon Krayt wrote:I'm here, but I'm not 100% sure this is where I belong. I believe mostly in Taoism, but there are things in it that I also do not agree with, so my following is something of a mystery, somewhat even to me. I'm not even sure if Taoism fits into this rite. I guess I need to go find a good definition of Pagan, from what I remember it is a believer of multiple gods and goddesses or some other being not associated with the Abrahamic version of one almighty god. Where as Taoism from my understanding doesn't believe in any actual entity, just an energy, similar to the force. The more I think about it, they do make it sound somewhat like an entity of sorts, but mostly I've seen Tao translated to the Path or the Way. Basically saying the virtuous path or virtuous way. Still to me, seemingly something without an actual conscience. Something that from my understanding of Pagan, does not fit together. If you have comments or corrections, or just other views, let me know, maybe you'll convince me this is where I fit, who knows.
DK
Paganism is so vague in its meaning that it is difficult to pin-point what this includes...
\"Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning \"an old country dweller, rustic\") is a term which, from a Western perspective, has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or cultic practices or beliefs of any folk religion, and of historical and contemporary polytheistic religions in particular.
The term can be defined broadly, to encompass the faith traditions outside the Abrahamic monotheistic group of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The group so defined includes the Indian religions (such as Hinduism, Jainism), Native American religions and mythologies and Shinto as well as non-Abrahamic ethnic religions in general. More narrow definitions will not include any of the world religions and restrict the term to local or rural currents not organized as civil religions. Characteristic of Pagan traditions is the absence of proselytism, and the presence of a living mythology which explains religious practice.[1]
The term \"pagan\" is a Christian adaptation of the \"gentile\" of Judaism, and as such has an inherent Christian or Abrahamic bias, and pejorative connotations among Westerners,[2] comparable to heathen, and infidel, mushrik and kafir (كافر) in Islam. For this reason, ethnologists avoid the term \"paganism,\" with its uncertain and varied meanings, in referring to traditional or historic faiths, preferring more precise categories such as polytheism, shamanism, pantheism, or animism.\"
-Wikepedia
In the sense that Taoism does not belong to the Abrahamic faiths, its ritualistic aspects and its being a part of folk religion for over 2000 years, it certainly could be included in Paganism.
it all depends on the individual and the title that most suites you.
